99 Escort runs fine then dies

[sweed36]

I have a 1999 ford escort 4 door sedan, when the car is cold I can get it to start and it will run just fine, after it starts to warm up, it starts to make a misfire/ sputtering noise when it is starting to die when idling. when I am driving it, there are no signs it is going to die.

I took it to the ford dealership today and they said that I need to replace the fuel pump, and the relay control module.

I just replaced the fuel pump a week ago because I thought that was the problem. So I am thinking it is the Relay Control Module- only problem is I don't know where it is located can anyone tell me where it is?

thank you

[Intuit]

I am no mechanic and of course have no access to the vehicle. But in a similar situation would investigate/eliminate the possibility of vacuum leak(s), Idle Air Control valve malfunction, and dirty Mass Air-Flow sensor.

Personally would not expect a fuel pump or regulator to cause the problem described, as an engine uses the greatest amount of fuel when cold. However, I suppose it's possible that the pump's motor has bad bearings and seizes as it heats up. To test this possibility, I would activate the pump relay, forcing it to stay on, heat up, prior to running the engine. Then I would start the engine (with a fuel pump gauge connected) to see whether it behaves similarly. With a stuttering engine, it's normal for the fuel pump to wane a little as available power fluctuates between available battery and alternator voltage(amp) levels.